How long do you soak prawn traps

[habberdasher]

My boys and I made a half assed attempt at prawning for Father’s Day.
We got enough for a snack soaking for a couple of hours.
My wife came home from a ladies book club (a great source of advice for prawning) that some people soak for a week.
I looked at previous posts and it looks like I need a ace puller if my strong sons are not with me?

 

[casper5280]

In Sannich Inlet we soak a couple hours to over night, but never more than that unless there’s ****** weather and we can’t get out

 

[michael_reiber]

Usually no more then 2 hours usually more like 1.5 hours. Have tried the overnight thing and have found it makes no difference for numbers. We still do it occasionally if we’re prawning 2 days in a row but only because it’s less work then stacking them all back on the boat

 

[habberdasher]

Maybe we are at the end of the season, at Costco (another good place for prawning advice) a Brentwood resident told me it was hot a month ago but I was getting my new hip then

 

[scott craven]

Commercial guys are mopping them up Tom.....

 

[Tips Up]

3-4 hours is usually good for full traps. Depending on tides.
If you are new and prospecting... couple hours then check to see if the spot is producing.
Put some time in to find spots away from the crowd and away from commercials.
I generally go on Boxing Day then in April before the commercial guys then in August when stocks have recovered and weather is nice for family to do shore lunch and exploring.
Gives me plenty of fresh prawns through the year. I am not a prawn hoarder.

 

[donnie d]

Commercial guys are mopping them up Tom.....

New to prawning myself.

I see commercial is open in areas 13, 15 and 25 (among others of course). Any idea when those typically close? I was hoping to try a couple spots this summer in those areas mentioned, and just wondering if it’s worth it.

 

[habberdasher]

Thanks everyone for your information I think I will just wait until later and as pulling up traps without my strong sons for ten prawns is not going to be worth it.
I wonder if the good lady would notice a trap puller on the boat. LOL

 

[CIVANO]

I wonder if the good lady would notice a trap puller on the boat.

Go for it!

 

[tinboatrobb]

it has always been there dear....it is better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission....

 

[Prfisher]

New to prawning myself.

I see commercial is open in areas 13, 15 and 25 (among others of course). Any idea when those typically close? I was hoping to try a couple spots this summer in those areas mentioned, and just wondering if it’s worth it.

We live in the Powell River area (15). After the commercial season finished last year, we dropped the traps maybe 10 times. Found that overnight was best. Lots of smalls, but we brought home enough decent sized ones for quite a few memorable dinners. We did try checking the traps several times, after a few hours of soaking. Rarely had more than 5 - 10 keepers per trap.

 

[donnie d]

We live in the Powell River area (15). After the commercial season finished last year, we dropped the traps maybe 10 times. Found that overnight was best. Lots of smalls, but we brought home enough decent sized ones for quite a few memorable dinners. We did try checking the traps several times, after a few hours of soaking. Rarely had more than 5 - 10 keepers per trap.

appreciate the feedback. I think I’ll still give it a go when Im up CR way. not sure if I’ll take the traps to 25 in July though. Thanks!

 

[StupidityKills]

I set in area 17.

For us 5 hours seems to be the minimum. I've set for 3 and 4 hours and averaged 15-20 per trap. At the 5 hour mark we are 50 per trap average. On our overnight sets we were hitting 100-120 per trap. This is all before the commercial openings though and I haven't set for a couple weeks.

 

[Tips Up]

I set in area 17.

For us 5 hours seems to be the minimum. I've set for 3 and 4 hours and averaged 15-20 per trap. At the 5 hour mark we are 50 per trap average. On our overnight sets we were hitting 100-120 per trap. This is all before the commercial openings though and I haven't set for a couple weeks.

Depends on tides I believe . 5 hours is giving you both tides probably. Flood and ebb.

 

[Charlie415]

Thanks everyone for your information I think I will just wait until later and as pulling up traps without my strong sons for ten prawns is not going to be worth it.
I wonder if the good lady would notice a trap puller on the boat. LOL

Get your wife to pull a string. I'm sure she will be agreeable. When I first started boating with my wife I had an OK home made puller, we made due. I then borrowed an Ace from a friend and went away prawning for a weekend. My wife prefers to pull the strings instead of driving the boat. After the weekend I was instructed to GET ONE before we went out again. But then again she also told me when we decided to get back into boating that I need to get a bigger boat and it had to have a toilet or it wasn't going to work. Guess what... it works!

 

[Sharphooks]

Depends on tides and what bait you're using. I put some Argentine squid in a pot last week and got 60 in an hour (tide was slack).

Rebaited, let soak for 3 hours on a big incoming tide and got 4...

Most bait is pretty much washed out after a few hours of soak time no matter what you're using